Peeta
I prefer waking up before Katniss for many different reasons. First, there's the fact that I get to openly watch her sleep until she walks up. I get to study the different aspects of her face that are so different when she is asleep: no frown, no worry lines above her eyes, calm. I get to soak in the fact that she curls up against me, her head on my chest, nose in my shirt, arms wrapped around me. One morning I woke up to find her face buried in the crook of my neck, her lips just barely touching me and her breath hot against my skin. I laid there and thought, I am in love with this girl and nothing will change that.
Sometimes I believe that I have successfully broken down her emotional wall. The way she laughs when we share stories in the living compartment of the train in the dead of night. The way she smiles, not her fake Capitol-smile, but her real one. The one where the left side of her mouth raises higher than the right and you can almost make out dimples. That smile. It's only come out a handful of times, and always when we are alone, away from the prying Capitol eyes. There are times, though, when I see a hint of that smile right after we kiss. I pull away and her eyes are still closed and she begins to smile. But then she hears the photographers and recognizes the flash bulbs of the cameras and tries to hide that smile.
She clumsily tries to rebuild her emotional wall after each day of Touring, hoping to hide behind it, but it always comes down more easily the next day and it's given me hope.
I try desperately to warn myself not to fall too deep but the moment I see that smile I know I'm already gone.
She's confused but I'm not sure why. I know she's confused because some days she comes to my room distant and glassy-eyed. She doesn't talk much and I don't pry but I can see the little wheels turning in her head. Those nights I talk about mundane things and when she thinks I'm not looking I see her studying me intensely. I don't know what happens on those days, why those days are so different for her, but once the lights are out and we are under the blankets of my bed, I clutch her to me, hoping that if I hold her close enough she won't run away.
I wake up most mornings and just lie in bed and watch Katniss sleep, keeping my arms tightly around her. But then she snuggles closer to me and sometimes rubs up against me there and I have to suppress a groan because I'm only human for god's sake and I can't help it. I'm in bed with the girl I love and when you're in bed with the girl you love you can't help how parts of your body react.
That's another reason why I like waking up before Katniss: so I can calm down before she wakes up and finds me in that state. That's not how good friends act. Friends don't wake up with hard-ons with the other friend centimeters away. Not even good friends do that. It doesn't help that she wears a small tank top and tiny shorts to bed. I can't even imagine what it would be like if I slept the way I usually do: shirtless and only in my boxers. I don't think Katniss would be comfortable with that. I also usually don't sleep with my prosthetic leg but I'm not sure how Katniss would react to that either.
Unfortunately this morning things didn't go my way. I wake up and see two beautiful grey eyes staring at me and there is a tiny hint of that smile and my body starts reacting and I know I have to pull away from her even though every ounce of my being is screaming at me not to.
"Good morning," I say. My voice is gravelly from sleep and I get up and 'stretch', my back turned to her so I can calm down.
"Good morning," she replies, a slight edge to her voice.
I turn around, flop back down on the bed and look up at her.
Her hair is a mess. I love it.
"You woke up before me," I state. "What's that about?"
Katniss closes her eyes and sighs.
"We'll be in the Capitol in a few hours."
"I know."
All of a sudden Katniss jumps out of bed and walks swiftly to my bathroom. She turns the shower and sink on but leaves the door open. I see her head pop out of the bathroom and she motions for me to join her.
I know what she's doing. She wants to tell me something without being overheard. I've done this once before. A few days after Katniss told me about her meeting with Snow, I pulled her into my bathroom, ran the faucet and shower and whispered to her my thoughts and fears. Thoughts that couldn't be overheard. Did she know more about the riots? Were people killed? Does it seem like it will spread? Do people in the Capitol know? Does she think District 12 will rebel? Does Gale know everything? Does Prim know everything? Who knows?
I didn't ask her questions about Finnick. I don't want to know.
I follow Katniss into the bathroom, very glad I've been able to 'calm down', and close the door behind us.
Katniss sits on the edge of the bathtub and I join her.
"I'm scared," she whispers to me. I look at her, the smile gone, worry lines back, frown in place. She's never openly admitted her fear to me. I think back to our time in the Hunger Games and can't think of one moment where she let her guard down. Not like this. She's never told me outright how frightened she is. Not even after her first nightmare.
I pull her to me and wrap her in a crushing hug.
"Me too," I whisper into her ear and she shivers. After her first meeting with Snow I knew he was going to want to talk to her again. I'm scared for me as well. I don't want to know about Finnick.
Slowly she brings her arms up and around my neck. I still haven't gotten used to when she accepts my hugs. It took her weeks, never wanting to cross lines without the cameras.
"I don't want to see him, Peeta," she whispers.
"I won't let you go alone. I'll go with you," I whisper back. I'd do anything to keep her safe. I'm so hopeless.
Katniss sighs and I feel her breath move the hairs at the nap of my neck.
"He won't allow that."
I hug her even tighter to me. "I won't let you go alone. Not again." My voice is louder than I intended it to be and Katniss pulls away slightly, purses her lips and puts a finger to them.
"Shh," she says.
I nod. She's right. We should get out of the bathroom too or those invisible ears we're so wary of may become suspicious.
I stand up, turn off the faucets and pull her to me, never seeming to let her go completely.
"I will protect you," I whisper so softly I'm not even sure Katniss hears me.
"Cinna and Portia are going to be here soon," I tell her, trying to keep my tone casual now that the faucets are no longer running and together we walk out of the bathroom and back into my bedroom.
"Either them or Effie," Katniss crinkles her nose in disgust. She does not like when Effie wakes us up.
"No Effie? What about the time she first saw us together in here? You don't want to relive that?"
The first time Effie saw us in bed together she nearly fainted. Her orange hair was flopping around and she flailed her arms comically.
"This is NOT proper!" she had cried before she skittered out of the room on her ridiculous shoes. She sent Cinna and Portia in to deal with us. Apparently she was too scandalized to come back.
Katniss smiles vaguely and I think I've cheered her up for now.
"What are we doing today again?" I ask as I peer out of the window. I can see the snow-capped mountains and know soon that we will be under them, going through the tunnel and shuttling straight towards the Capitol. My stomach feels strange. The last time we were passing these mountains both Katniss and I were lambs for slaughter.
"I think today we are just with our prep teams. They're gonna work on us until our interview with Caesar tonight." Katniss doesn't seem happy about her prep team or Caesar. I'll take control of the interview again, though. It's an unspoken agreement at this point. I don't hate my time with my prep team as much as she does. Although, they don't really do much with me do they? Comb my hair and put me in a suit. That's about it.
"Ahh, yes. I need a lot of work, don't I? Ton's a make up. My hair's a disaster." I turn and look in the giant mirror on the wall, pretending to scrutinize my face. In the mirror I see Katniss roll her eyes, turn around the sit down on the bed quite unceremoniously.
"Shut up. You know I always take hours longer than you do," she laments.
"I told you this is because my prep team loves me more than yours loves you," I tease as I walk over to her and join her on the bed. She scowls at me and I poke her nose. She swats away my hand.
"Are you ready for the interview with Caesar?" Her question is timid. The question and answer session in each district won't hold a candle to Caesar's interview. They'll be saving the juicy questions for the Capitol audience.
"Haymitch is going to talk to us about that," I tell her. Haymitch went on a Victory Tour once, too. He'll know what to expect and he will coach us. He hasn't really needed to during the District Tours because we've just been playing up our love story. At least Katniss has been playing it up. I'm not playing up anything.
"Oh. I forgot about that didn't I?" she furrows her brow but then looks slightly relieved.
"Well that's what I'm here for, right?" I lie back down on my bed and stretch my arms above my head.
"Yes, the only reason," she responds, amused, and pokes me in the stomach. I shoot back up and rub the spot where she poked me and there's a hint of that smile before we hear a knock on the door.
"Up, up, up! It's going to be a big, big, big, day!" Effie screeches.
Our time in the Capitol is about to begin.
As usual, I was ready before Katniss. I pull at the cuffs of my jacket while I wait for her underneath the stage. The crowd has been a constant rumble of noise ever since a very skittish Effie placed me here. We didn't get ready in our train compartments this time. The Capitol has put us up in some sort of "Victor Hotel Suite". I don't like it, though. It reminds me of our accommodations before the Games.
I watch Effie as she nervously does some last minute primping in the corner. I think she's even more nervous than I am; she and Haymitch get their own introduction and interview with Caesar before Katniss and me. If Effie weren't a constant nag I would consider her nervousness to be kind of endearing. Her hair, still orange, is wrapped around her head like a beehive. Her eyes are black around the edges making her green eyes look kind of scary. She's wearing a poofy purple dress and spiky high heels. I'm sure the Capitol will compliment her on her outfit choice but to me she looks like something you would see in one of the Capitol zoos.
Haymitch, unlike Effie, is not happy to be here. I spot him in the corner of the underground room taking periodic sips from his flask. Someone has forced him into a suit, washed his hair and shaved his beard. He actually looks pretty good, considering his usual state, and therefore completely unrecognizable. Effie actually went up to him and attempted a conversation thinking he was someone else.
"Excellent! Excellent!" I hear Effie cry and I switch my gaze to her. "Now that both of you are here we can start! Someone please tell the tech crew we're ready."
I see Katniss round a corner followed by Cinna and her prep team and stomach flips. She looks beautiful, but in an innocent sort of way. She is wearing a very pale green strapless dress that ends just below her knees and some very uncomfortable looking shoes, which I'm sure are perfectly 'in style'. Her hair is curled and pinned up around her head loosely.
Cinna and Portia decided to match us again, I believe, because I'm wearing a dark green suit with pale green piping. Not that I really pay attention to what they tell me to wear because I have no interest.
Katniss takes her place next to me and grabs my hand. For the first half of the tour I was the one who had to initiate that kind of behavior but around District 5 Katniss started taking my hand without my prompt. Small victories. Just like the hugs.
She still won't initiate kisses, though. Camera kisses. We don't kiss in private. Not that I expect her to, anyway. A boy can dream.
She turns to face me and I can't tell if she's really blushing or if it's Cinna's handiwork. Her eyes are painted in a way that make them look like pure smoke. Her lips are a pinkish color and very shiny. For a second I lose my train of thought.
"Wake up, sweetheart," she tells me with a small smile and my face flushes when I remember that I told her the same thing the moment after our first kiss of the Tour.
"Sorry, I've just been waiting for you for a while now and I'm tired. Feels like days." I give her a wry smile and squeeze her hand.
"You look beautiful, by the way," I tell her in a more serious voice, so she knows I'm being sincere. I don't think I should even stand next to her, like I don't belong in her company.
I see her face turn slightly pinker as she thanks me and faces forward again.
"You don't look too bad yourself," she nearly whispers as her eyes switch to the floor.
I hear the platform next to us start to rise and turn to see Effie, all smiles, heading straight up onto the stage. She's met with applause and I don't catch much of her interview.
Haymitch goes up soon after, also met with applause. His interview with Caesar seems to be more of a comedy routine due of the amount of laughter I hear from the audience. Either that or he's drunkenly fallen off the stage again.
After Haymitch's interview I hear Caesar Flickerman begin our introduction.
"And now. The moment you have all been waiting for. Please welcome the Victors of the 74th Hunger Games. Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark!"
The stage starts to rise and I feel Katniss move closer to me, her grip on my hand tightening. The roar of the crowd is the first thing I register, followed by the blinding lights of the stage. The crowd is drowning out Caesar's theme music and camera flashbulbs start to pop. Showtime.
I thrust our hands into the air and wave with the other. Katniss, following my lead, does the same. I can't make out real words, only the deafening roar of the crowd. We continue our waving until I remember what Haymitch told us only hours ago.
1. "There is no such thing as too much PDA with this group. Lay it on thick."
I pull Katniss to me and bring my lips to hers. This has become second nature, almost, between the two of us. Our kisses have never lasted more than five seconds at most but I relish each and every one of them. If this is the only time I can actively display my feelings toward this girl, I am going to take advantage of that fact.
After a few seconds I move to pull away but Katniss grabs the back of my head and holds me in place. This is new.
The crowd goes berserk and I start to smile widely, effectively ruining the kiss. I want to kick myself. Katniss pulls away and, surprisingly, is smiling that smile which makes me smile even more. The crowd is eating it up.
It appears our little introduction lasted longer than expected because Caesar has had to come over to where Katniss and I are standing and escort us to our seats. I smile guiltily as Caesar shakes his head and rolls his eyes at the audience, who laugh at the gesture.
Finally Katniss and I sit down next to each other on a small couch. I drape my arm over Katniss' shoulders and idly trail my fingers up and down her bare arm. I take my other hand in hers and smile at Caesar, who looks at me admonishingly.
"I should berate you two but it's pretty obvious you can't help it at this point," Caesar says with a grin.
I laugh and Katniss giggles.
"Sorry Caesar, but our prep teams kept us apart for a while today and I couldn't help myself once I saw her," I explain. I'm not even lying. I missed her.
"Same here, Caesar. He just looks so handsome tonight…" Katniss explains and I see her blush again.
"Now, that's alright. I'm a sucker for young love, as you all know," he says while addressing the audience. Shit, I forgot.
2. "Include the audience whenever you can."
Caesar goes into a brief story about one of his many 'unrequited loves' and the Capitol audience, being the ever-sensitive people they are, are all ears and completely sympathetic.
"Now, Peeta. Katniss. Tell me a little about your Tour so far. Have you two enjoyed yourselves?"
Here is the easy part. Katniss and I give the same answers we've given to all the other District reporters. Yes, we've enjoyed the Tour. All the Districts are lovely. No, we don't have a favorite. Katniss brilliantly adds here that she thinks she will like the Capitol the best. I can't help myself and kiss her on the cheek. She looks at me, and the Capitol smile planted on her face falters only a little. She's nervous.
More mundane questions follow. I tell what the Capitol believes to be a funny story about how I tripped in District 7 over a fallen tree branch, explaining that my prosthetic leg sometimes isn't very cooperative. Haymitch would be pleased.
3. Tell stupid stories.
Katniss places her hand on my bad leg and frowns. She didn't think that was funny. My prosthetic leg is a constant reminder of what I lost during the Games. Sometimes I think it hurts her more than it hurts me.
Finally Caesar gets tired of the less 'gripping' questions and goes in for the kill.
"So how are you two doing? We sure have missed hearing about you two lovebirds." Caesar puts on a dopey looking frown and looks out at the audience.
"We're doing just great," I assure him. "And we've missed you all too, we're just so pleased to be back here!" The audience cheers.
"Now. You've been together for a while now. Obviously you two must be planning a future together? We would all just kill for a Capitol wedding!"
I try to hide my disgust at his word choice and my stomach twists uncomfortably. Haymitch alluded to us that this would happen. The Capitol wants closure. They want to see the star-crossed lovers married. They want children. In the future. In the future. Emphasize the future.
4. Emphasize your future together.
I try to ignore the thoughts in the back of my mind but they're screaming at me. There is no future, Mellark, because it's not real. It's an act. Not real. As if to emphasize that fact, Katniss squeezes my hand. I'm sure she's just trying to be reassuring and supportive in this mess but I can't help where my thoughts are taking me. They're clouding over my judgment and my pause has become noticeable. Thankfully Katniss steps in.
"As you know, Caesar, Peeta and I have only been together a few months! We never had the chance to date. I know Peeta was desperately sad he missed that point in our relationship so we agreed to take it slow. Right now we are just relaxing and enjoying our time together. Time that we didn't get to spend together before we were Reaped."
I stare at Katniss wide-eyed. She has completely memorized the speech Haymitch told me to recite. To save my prior performance, I kiss her gently on the temple and smile down at her. She looks up at me and grins but it doesn't reach her eyes.
I turn to Caesar and give him my own answer to the question.
"You see, Caesar, I had this whole plan before we were Reaped where I was going to ask Katniss out on a date. To tell her my true feelings."
I pause and look at our entwined fingers. I've never told anyone this story and I never planned to but the words are coming out of my mouth before I can stop them.
"I was going to show up to her door with flowers and cookies for her sister and just tell her," I explain, smiling sadly to myself. "Right after the Reaping. I was going to find her."
The audience is rapt with attention. I have them on every one of my words. I begin to regret telling the story, the memory is painful. I continue anyway, my voice softer.
"I had planned it weeks in advance. I even went out to the District 12 florist before the Reaping and spent my savings on some flowers."
I can feel the tears pricking at the corners of my eyes at the memory. They were yellow flowers. They were pretty. Maybe she will like these, I remember thinking. I was so stupid.
"I was so scared she was going to turn me down," I say quietly with a laugh. I can't look at Katniss. Not yet. Instead I stare at Caesar and continue speaking.
"But I never found out, did I? And I want to redo that part of our relationship before we get married."
Caesar is clearly moved by my confession and the audience is completely silent, as if everyone stopped breathing simultaneously. I stare out into the crowd at the faceless mass of people.
"I want to do it right. Now that I have the chance," I whisper.
Caesar is wiping at what I believe to be genuine tears and I hear a single sob escape from the audience.
"Is that true?" Katniss asks softly. I look at her for the first time since I began to speak. Her eyes are big and questioning, her brow furrowed.
"Yes," I tell her simply, not breaking her stare.
"Why didn't you tell me?" she whispers.
Because it's a stupid story? Because I didn't want to be turned down again? Because you don't love me? And it would break my heart to see the look in your eyes when I told you?
"I…" I can't find the right words. At least not the right words for the Capitol. Instead I lie, which is what we promised not to do to each other.
"I don't know."
"Well, I think that is quite the answer to that question," Caesar laughs, while wiping the last few tears from his face. "What do you think?" he asks the audience, who erupts into applause. It appears we've earned a standing ovation. I stare into the crowd, my face burning. I can't believe I told the entire country my dumb little failed plan to admit my feelings to Katniss.
I turn to look at Effie and Haymitch, who are sitting off to the side of the stage. Effie is weeping, her makeup running in smears down her face. She is attempting to join the crowd on their feet but is having some difficulty so one of the technicians is trying to help her up.
Haymitch is clapping along with the rest of the audience but doesn't look happy. Why shouldn't he be? I followed his rules. 3. Tell stupid stories. Check. What did I do wrong?
I look back at Katniss, afraid she might be having the same reaction as Haymitch but she's just staring at me, mouth slightly open. She looks exactly her part: star-crossed lover.
We get home from the interview later than expected. The crowd needed to be quieted and it took a lot longer than we had anticipated. Katniss was silent during the ride back to the hotel and on the elevator up to our floor. She held my hand tightly but something was off. We didn't discuss sleeping arrangements before we left the train so I'm not sure if she plans on sleeping with me or in her room. I desperately hope it's the prior but as I sit on my bed, staring at the clock, watching the time pass, I start to think she won't come. Maybe my confession was a little too much to handle. I start to panic, worrying that all the progress we've made might as well have been for nothing, when I hear a timid knock on the door.
I open it to see Katniss waiting on the other side in her sleep clothes. She walks past me, pulls down the covers on my bed and slides in. I stare at her in shock for a few moments before her voice brings me back.
"Are you coming?" she asks expectantly?
I climb in next to her and she quickly cuddles close to me. I sigh in half relief, half joy and find her hands, which feel slightly pruned, like she might have spent too much time in the shower.
I'm in my room at the Hotel waiting to be carted off to the Victory Tour Celebration Extranaganza!, as Effie put it, held at none other than President Snow's Mansion. It is our final night in the Capitol before we head back to District 12.
Our second day in the Capitol did not require much talking on our part. Katniss and I took a tour of the Capitol and spent the day being carted from one "attraction" to another. Our tour guides, who were two strange looking men, showed us things like the Capitol Alteration Center, which is where Capitol citizens can go to get alterations to their bodies. We were allowed to walk in on a procedure where a woman was getting her skin tinted an odd looking blue color. We went to various clothing stores where the owners handed us free things. One man made me try on a very tight, sparkling suit, which made Katniss laugh, so I think it was well worth the humiliation.
I did enjoy the kitchens, though. As much as I hate the Capitol, I must admit that their cooking appliances are incredible, even more so than those I have back in the Victor's Village. Upon seeing my face as we walked around, one of our Tour Guides smiled and told me that they would have a "proper" oven installed at my home in the Victor's Village by the time we arrived back in District 12.
I'm thinking about that oven when I hear a knock on the door. I know it can't be Katniss, considering she will most likely still be with her prep team, and I'm right. It turns out to be Haymitch, who I haven't seen since our brief and silent exchange on stage.
He roughly pushes me into my room and heads straight for the bathroom.
"Hey—" I shout, but Haymitch puts a finger to his mouth silencing me. I follow him into the bathroom and watch him turn on all the faucets. Once they're all running he turns to me.
"What the hell did you think you were doing out there?" he whispers hoarsely. His voice sounds strange at such a low octave.
"What do you mean?" I whisper back.
"That whole sob story about your date with sweetheart. What the hell was that?"
"I was listening to you! Number 3—Tell stories!" I say. "Besides, it was true," I tell him more softly.
Haymitch looks at me for a long while before he sits on the closed toilet seat, rubbing his eyes.
"You have no idea what you were doing," he states.
"The act! I was playing up the act! You said to lay it on thick!"
"No, no, no. That was not an act. That was a tragic story. And even though it might have been true, and it didn't end terribly, you didn't paint the Capitol in a pretty picture. You made them look like tyrants indirectly. They were bad guys. Again. They didn't give you your chance with that girl."
As the realization hits me I grab the sink to steady myself.
"Yeah, boy. Don't pull any of that shit again. I don't care what you have to do, just don't do that again."
There's a loud knock on the door of my bedroom and I shut off all the faucets and answer it. It's Portia telling me it's time to go to Snow's Mansion. I have less than thirty seconds to collect myself before I have to put on the act again. I take three deep breaths before following Haymitch out the door.
Effie is pacing back and forth in the hall when I leave my room with Haymitch. I'm just about to compliment Effie on her ridiculous outfit when Katniss steps out of her room. She's wearing a jet-black dress that is both long-sleeved and skin tight, ending mid-calf. Her shoes look uncomfortable, but do amazing things to her legs. Her hair is pin straight, parted down the side, and her lips are red. I know I should say something but I can't form words. I can't even remember my conversation with Haymitch. Why was he mad? What's my name again?
I feel someone slap me on the back and I turn to see Haymitch offering me a swig from his flask, which I swat away in disgust.
"There we go," Haymitch laughs as he follows Effie and Katniss down the hall. I make to follow them but almost lose my balance when I see that Katniss' dress is backless. My throat goes dry.
"I think Casanova over there was trying to say that you look nice, sweetheart," he tells her as they walk down the hall. Haymitch turns around and gives me wink. "Cat must've gotten his tongue."
President Snow's mansion is enormous. Effie, Haymitch, Katniss and I enter through the giant oak front doors as thousands of camera bulbs flash. I take Katniss' hand, smiling and waving like I'm the happiest man on earth even though I'm just confused and scared. I've been thinking about what Haymitch said ever since we left the hotel.
Once inside we lose Effie almost immediately and Haymitch makes a beeline for the bar area. Katniss and I stand in a large atrium shaking peoples' hands and smiling. There are enormous television screens placed strategically around the mansion playing a sort of highlight reel of mine and Katniss' relationship. There are clips from our various interviews around the country, snippets of our Victory Tour and, of course, scenes from the Hunger Games. I don't look at the televisions and instead focus on the crowd of people showering us with attention. After what seems like hours the crowd dissipates and we move off to the side.
"Why was Haymitch in your room?" Katniss asks me quietly. She's looking at me intensely so she must know it's important.
"Ran out of white liquor. I'll tell you the full story later on," I tell her.
Katniss just nods and looks around.
"This is crazy," she says. My eyes wander around the room.
Snow's mansion is quite magnificent. I've never seen anything like it before in my life. Every surface is decorated with the most expensive materials. I recognize small aspects of the different Districts, though. The marble floors remind me of what we saw in District 2. The thick wooden doors remind me of District 7. The golden chandeliers are powered by energy from District 5. The flat screen televisions come straight from 3 and of course this house is dripping with products straight from District 1.
"It is. We're not in District 12 anymore," I say humorlessly. Katniss turns toward a table filled with tender meats and a variety of cheeses. The house if filled with these tables. I spot a table towards the back with different breads and another table with cakes and cookies.
"Are you hungry?" she asks me.
"Not really. But I know I should taste some things. Are you hungry?"
Katniss is fidgeting. I know she's not hungry. She's nervous about her meeting with President Snow.
"No. I'm not. Let's go look, though," she agrees and we start to make our way over to the table.
Suddenly, three very strange looking women block our way to the table. One of the women has bright white hair that is piled high on her head. She's wearing a very skimpy looking dress and her face painted thickly with makeup. I wonder what she really looks like underneath all of that. The second woman is large and her skin is tinted purple. Her eyes are the same green color as Effie's. The third woman is extremely tall, taller than anyone could naturally be, and she is wearing dark pants and a completely see-through top.
"The Victors of the 74th Hunger Games. Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark. So nice to meet you, finally," the purple woman says in a high, reedy voice.
I shake her hand. "Nice to meet you as well." I feel Katniss clutch my hand tighter.
"My name is Vexe and these are my friends Ursula and Hera," she says, pointing at the other two women.
"Nice to meet you," I smile, trying to hide my distaste.
"You look lovely Katniss," the tall woman says and Katniss gives her a Capitol-smile. "And you, Peeta, look absolutely dashing."
It is beginning to feel like Katniss is cutting off the circulation to my fingers. I smile anyway and pull Katniss closer to me, letting go of her hand and wrapping my arm around her waist.
"You should hold onto him, Ms. Everdeen," the white-haired woman says. "There are many Capitol women who would absolutely love to spend some time with Mr. Mellark."
I can feel my face pale, remembering Katniss' story about Finnick. I grip Katniss tighter and I feel her fingers dig into side.
"I'm sorry to disappoint all the Capitol women, but I'm not letting go of Peeta," Katniss says with a sweet smile.
"I don't blame you. Look at him. Plus the story he told Caesar the other night just about broke everyone's heart!" enthuses the purple woman as she drags her finger lazily around the edge of her glass which, I'm sure, is holding some sort of alcohol.
Katniss' fingers are digging into my arms I'm beginning to think there might be bruises tomorrow, not that I care of course.
"I was only telling Caesar the truth," I explain to all three of them while pulling Katniss even more closely to me. "I will be with her as long as she lets me." It's true. Everything I say is true. I'd follow Katniss into a fire storm and not question a thing.
"Ms. Everdeen?"
I swivel at the sound of Katniss being called and see two uniformed Peacekeepers marching up to where we are standing.
"Yes?" Katniss asks, my arm remains tightly around her.
"President Snow would like to speak with you. Upstairs," says the taller, more threatening Peacekeeper.
"Oh. Okay," Katniss breathes and her eyes flicker to mine for a half second, fear registering in her face. The Peacekeepers begin to move across the room and Katniss and I follow. I feel a hand on my shoulder and stop in my tracks. The tall woman from before is smiling at me, baring her teeth like an animal.
"They just asked for Ms. Everdeen, Peeta. Why don't you stay here with us?"
I feel Katniss stiffen in my arms.
"I would like to accompany my girlfriend, if that is alright," I say with a forced smile as I turn around and continue to walk. There's no way I'm staying here with these women and there is no way I am leaving Katniss' side.
We follow the Peacekeepers through the atrium, across the dance floor and into a secluded and fairly dark hallway.
"You're not needed Mr. Mellark," the shorter of the two Peacekeepers tells me.
"I would like to come," I tell him, my voice harsher than I intended.
"I'm sorry Mr. Mellark. Orders are orders." The peacekeeper looks almost apologetic but it doesn't quell my urge to punch him in the gut. Instead I bring my hands up the sides of Katniss' face and look into her eyes.
"I'll wait for you here, Katniss. I won't move from this spot until you're back," I promise.
She nods vigorously and I watch as the Peacekeepers pull her away and force her into an elevator. I feel light-headed, as if my stomach has moved its way up my throat. Terrible scenarios run through my head. What if he threatens her again? What if he wasn't pleased by her performance? What if he hurts her?
I pace up and down the hall while I wait for Katniss. Only one cameraman found me but I told him I was looking for the restroom. He left.
I'm prepared to wait hours for Katniss, expecting her conversation with Snow to last a long time, so when I see her exit the elevators not 20 minutes after she left I'm confused.
Her face is pale and her hands are shaking furiously. The two Peacekeepers are behind her, grave expressions on their faces. She looks like she's seen a ghost. I run to her and take her hands in mine, trying to stop the shaking.
"What happened? Why was it so quick?" I ask.
"I—" Katniss stutters. Her face is turning whiter by the second, an unwelcome contrast to her red lips. "He didn't have much to say," she whispers. I can feel the photographers before I see them. They're flashbulbs begin to pop and Katniss begins to lose focus. Her eyes start whipping widely around the hallway before they lock on mine.
"Give a memory or else I'll lose it," she whispers frantically.
"What? A memory? What do you mean?" I whisper back. My hands are stroking her checks and I search her eyes for any sign of what she means.
"A memory! A thought! A happy memory or thought!" Her voice is shaky and her lips are trembling.
A happy memory? Like a distraction? And then it dawns on me.
I waver only a second before I crush my lips to hers. This kiss isn't like the others. It's not careful. Not chaste. I part my lips at the same time she starts to respond. I lose my inhibitions with this kiss, allowing myself to finally move my lips with hers, desperately pushing and pulling, feeling them against my own. The only other time I've kissed Katniss like this was in the cave. I drag my tongue across her upper lip and feel her intake of breathe.
I forget where I am, focusing only on the feel and taste of her. I push my body closer to hers with such force that I shove her up against the wall. I tilt my head, a new angle, and deepen the kiss. I feel her grasp the hair at the back of my head. I run one of my hands down her bare back and groan into her mouth. That dress.
Katniss runs one of her hands down my chest, balling her fist in the material of my shirt and, as much as I hate it, I need to breathe. I rip my lips away from hers and start to gulp in air, keeping my eyes closed, licking my lips. I brace myself with one arm against the wall, bring my head down and rest my forehead on hers before I open my eyes. Katniss is breathing heavily as well, her eyes dark and hooded.
I feel the pop and snap of photographs being taken while Katniss and I remain entwined in each other's arms but I can't bring myself to care.
"That good enough?" I breath. She looks kissed. Lips swollen and wet, cheeks rosy, eyes glassy and dazed.
"What?" she murmurs, still breathing hard.
"Where are they? This is their party!" I hear Effie complain to no one in particular.
Katniss, woken from her stupor by Effie's voice, steps away from me. She hastily tries to wipe her red lipstick from my face and I can't help my enormous smile.
"Sorry," she tells me, her brow furrowed slightly.
"That is one of the stupidest things to be sorry for," I tell her and finally I see that smile.